Datura spp. (Jimson Weed)

Photographs

My photos:

This plant, probably D. wrightii, was photographed in Joshua Tree in March.

More photos:

click photo to enlarge

Plant Information

Solanaceae

In the garden:

Datura is a showy annual or perennial herb in the Nightshade family with very large, aromatic, trumpet-shaped flowers. The tree form, called Brugmansia, are cultivated species of Datura. This plant is poisonous.

In the wild:

The 2 species of Datura found in our area are D. wrightii a.k.a D. meteloides (perennial), which is native, and D. stramonium (annual), which was introduced from Mexico. D. discolor (annual) is a native found in San Diego and Imperial counties. The same common names (Datura, Jimson Weed, and Thorn Apple) have often been applied to all species in the genus because they look so much alike.

Ethnobotany:

The leaves D. meteloides are steamed to produce a vapor that acts as a decongestant. A paste made from the leaves was used to cure poisonous tarantula, snake, spider and other insect bites.

Dried leaves smoked as a hallucinogen, or the dried roots were used to produce a hallucinogenic effect. The quantity and effect of the alkaloids in datura was unpredictable and the shaman had to be careful with this plant.

Field Trips
Anza Borrego Caspers Holy Jim Canyon Idyllwild
Joshua Tree Mt Palomar Rancho Santa Ana Torrey Pines

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